I came across art by EGO with no website link, and it’s hard to find a comprehensive source of work as it seems to be spread all over between tattoo sites, blogs, etc. But…I like it! So here are some examples.
An internet search for EGO obviously produces thousands of completely irrelevant results (though why not run with the inadvertent psychological education?). Love his skeleton and monster work.
Sonya Fu’s surreal creations are beautifully haunting…
From the source:
Sonya Fu is a Hong Kong based surreal digital artist whose work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and art fairs across Hong Kong, China, United States, Australia, and Germany since 2010. Growing up in the former British Colony where East meets West, Fu is influenced by both Oriental and Western culture. Using inspirations from dreams, music, morality, and religious belief systems, she bases her works on hypnagogic imagery and the unseen beauties she has encountered during episodes of sleep paralysis. All of these elements can be seen in the detailed and delicate brushstrokes of her mysterious, eerie, and captivating digital paintings.
I love the way her vivid color schemes still have a ghostly air about them.
Sonya Fu
See an interview with her here.
Today I bring you (a quick post) featuring the illustrations of Alex Griffiths.
Love his style!
Today I saw the follow painting by Michael Hutter:
There was a story by its side…
At Sea
On another occasion the Kranzedan had gone on a cruise, fancying that it would be a relaxing pastime. However, one night, whilst on the high seas, someone shouted ‘Man overboard!’; a child was said to have gone over the rail. In the dark, the child’s light dress could be seen floating on the green-black waves. At once a dinghy was made ready and let down into the water. But the Kranzedan, for whom all of this did not happen fast enough, grabbed a lifebelt and jumped with it into the choppy sea. Though once in the waves he quickly lost his bearings and went astray.
And when the dinghy finally arrived at the child’s body, the seamen discovered that they had gone to the rescue of a large doll. Its young owner was soon clasping her wet darling happily in her arms again. Yet, from that time on the smell of salt and algae emanated from the doll, resisting all attempts at cleaning. Whenever the child lay in bed cuddling her doll, she was afflicted by harrowing nightmares: she was threatened by bizarre anglerfish with bulging eyes; entwined by the muscular tentacles of enormous kraken, whose horny beaks pinched her tender calves and thighs, or; she was swimming through the endless canyons of a town overgrown with coral, in a panic-fuelled flight from something large…
The Kranzedan, however, was never recovered on that strange night on the high seas and he has been missing to this day.
Now onto other works…
Hutter’s work is largely NSFW, so be warned! There is much nudity and debauchery, but his painting are highly reminiscent of the ghostly, ghastly spectacles of Hieronymus Bosch.
Transforming into a flower bed seems, to me, a decent way to be dead.
It’s a little early, I know. But I want to make a quick request: if you fellow admirers of the strange and unusual come across memorable Halloween art, decorations, products, costumes, clothing, food…or anything else that deserves a spot on SWS over the next month and a half, please comment or send links via the contact form on the right. I happily credit those who share articles with links to their personal pages/projects.
TREEEEEEEEEATS!
I already have some goodies I’m excited to share and can’t wait to see what we come up with as a community!
I love this painting, The Dead Cello, by Mike Bombon.
Have you ever seen a dapper mosquito? He’s all dressed up to be one of the most annoying creatures on earth.
Do you trust her to reveal your future?
I’d like the think the cat made this decoration himself.
I felt my heart well up when I saw these paintings, in which Ruth Oosterman builds upon the art of her tiny toddler.
Parents out there, I encourage you to try your own variation of this collaborative effort. You don’t have to be a professional artist to create something truly memorable with a child. How beautiful that both people, in their own widely distant stages of life, contribute a life force to a single image.
I was instantly drawn into Līga Kļaviņa’s work by this piece entitled Cold Hands.
Even when faces are obscured, there is (e)motion in the composition.
The frailty and gentle nature of her subjects, combined with an ethereal sense of lightness and movement make for lovely illustrative work.
It’s just occurring to me now, while looking at Winnie Truong’s work…I really should have had a “skulls and skeletons” tag on this blog (I originally lumped any bony treats under “anatomy”). I wonder if I should start one now, six years late. Yes. I will.
Winnie weaves these skeletal impressions into a palette of wispy pastel strokes (where’s the curling iron that would make my hair do this?). Most of her works involve these elegant masses of braids, knots and flowing tresses that take on a life of their own.
Every now and then, a painting captures me with a brilliant element of subtlety. This Charles Robinson piece from Shelley’s The Sensitive Plant did so with its faint outline of hooded figures in an illuminated procession behind lush, colorful flora. The placement and the vague outlines create a chilling moment of recognition when the eye first fixates on that part of the scenery.
And on the fourth, the Sensitive Plant
Felt the sound of the funeral chant,
And the steps of the bearers, heavy and slow,
And the sobs of the mourners, deep and low
The Sensitive Pant- Percy Bysshe Shelley (full text)
Source
Stephen Gibb paints comically unsettling bits of surreal scenery, teeming with anthropomorphic foods, inanimate objects and animals.
One of my favorite things about art in this vein is that it seems to gently hint at some rather serious themes…while never taking itself too seriously.
I encourage you to read the titles of each piece, if you explore his online galleries.
From the artist bio:
The gory details…..
Stephen was dropped on his head as a baby while his mother was visiting the Museum of Modern Art. Ever since, he has been drawing, painting and scratching in a non-stop orgy of creation. His paintings are psychological offerings, rich in irony and distortions, bristling with sublime, psychotropic colours. Human forms struggle in an existential blending of mind and machine yet up through the conflict a subtle black humour percolates. Always wear your helmet.
Many years ago, when I was beginning this blog, I could always find inspiration at The beinArt Collective. After a hiatus and a complete site makeover, it’s up and running again!
The beinArt Collective is an international network of highly skilled figurative artists with a shared fascination for surreal and imaginative themes. Over the years we have published books, curated group exhibitions and maintained a strong online presence under the beinArt banner. Our projects have helped generate opportunities for our artists to network, collaborate, share resources and connect with a broader audience. We delight in sharing their work and hope that by viewing the journeys of these artists, those who light upon them will be inspired.
The Collective hosts many of my all time favorite visual artists. So glad it’s back, and I look forward to its evolution through the years.
As generally dark as my aesthetic preferences tend to run, Philippe Fernandez reminds me that I am indeed a romantic at heart, and I easily get lost in glowing fantasy landscapes filled with mystery and wonder.
Part of me is always somewhere…doing this:
There is not a single one of his paintings I wouldn’t want to climb into (and climb around in).
Can this be real life, please?
Yulia Brodskaya has a mindblowing portfolio of expressive paper craft.
She talks a bit about her perspective on quilling here.
Yulia does indeed elevate this medium to create compelling portraits. I would love to see these in person to experience the 3D effects up close.
One can tell that Legan Rooster studied architecture when viewing his intriguing collage work.
Human anatomy mingles with pieces of the natural world as the lines and curves of geometric figures lend a sense of universal coherence and integration to the images.
You will find a lot of “third eyes” in his work (which I love), and some pieces seem transcendentally meditative.
I’m in a rush today, and unfortunately do not have time to write the image commentary (which I so thoroughly enjoy) so feel free to chime in!
Jon Neill deserves his own post for his fabulous carvings (but alas he will have to share it with some links). Incredible designs:
And now a few other links…
The Blood Curdling Blog of Monsters (a plethora of posts about masks)
My Favorite Spooky Socks This Year (wish-listed!)
Le Chat Noir (Exhibit at Modern Eden Gallery showcasing artwork featuring black cats).
This video is utterly bonkers. They…turned Halloween up to 11.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN, everyone!
I’m under the weather today, but I wanted to do a quick on the “folk pop” art of Tim Lee.
Lina Jirlen has a collection of delicate, mysterious women.
Their smoky eyelids contrast with crystal irises…
They glance into the distance, wistfully; glamorous, strange keepers of secrets.
Hearts may be in or out of their bodies…one never knows.
